


The Kids are Alright

by leenaelizabeth



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Double Date, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, M/M, Slow Burn, dad!ronan, indoor playground, pynch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 16:13:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17307725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leenaelizabeth/pseuds/leenaelizabeth
Summary: Adam Parrish works in Henrietta's only indoor childrens playground, Cabeswater, to earn some extra cash before he goes to college. Ronan Lynch brings his daughter Opal to Cabeswater every week. Adam can't help but fall for the dark, handsome, yet extremely rude, stranger.





	The Kids are Alright

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to the first chapter of my new fic. This is set in an alternate universe where Adam did not attend Aglionby, but did manage to move out into his own place (St. Agnes) to get away from his abusive father. I hope you all enjoy! The first chapter is always a little bit meh as I try to figure out how to set it out/get the feel for it, but I hope you enjoy!

When Adam Parrish was offered employment at Henrietta’s only indoor children’s playground, Cabeswater, he thought he was going to hate it. He didn’t really know what to _do_ with children, but he needed the money. Weirdly enough, he found himself enjoying it and actually being excited about coming into work each day.

His co-workers were nice and generally the parents were kind and they tipped well. And considering he manned the small coffee bar at the back of the playground, it was quite a cruisy job. Compared to the physical labour he used to do at Boyd’s Auto, standing behind a counter and making coffees was nothing. 

He was about to start his first year of college and needed some cash to get him settled and comfortable until he managed to find another job. He only had another couple months left, and he couldn’t wait to be finally rid of the town he grew up in and move on. To pretend he never came from the shitty Virginia town and let go of his childhood and all the trauma that came with it. It seemed like he was finally getting somewhere, like his life wasn’t completely wasted on Henrietta. He had managed to get out.

Adam tied his apron around his waist, adjusting his hat so it sat right on his head. The uniform at Cabeswater was duller than Adam had expected when he had gotten the job – mostly brown with a couple hints of blue thrown in. Brown apron, blue company shirt with a brown logo, black pants, brown hat with a blue company logo. It didn’t make him stand out too much when in public, and he was happy for that. It wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other uniforms he had had to wear in the past. He had war flashbacks from the bright red checker button down that had been his supermarket uniform. _Anything_ was better than that.

It was a Tuesday. The start of Adam’s five day roster and one of the quieter days. He worked the coffee bar by himself, dealing with the occasional tired parent or energetic child wanting cake. In his down time, he either cleaned or tried to get a head start of his readings for his first semester. His boss turned the other way when he whipped out his law books, which Adam was extremely grateful for. He knew most of his class would also be doing the readings in advance, and didn’t want to be the one student who didn’t know what was going on.

Adam was part way through a relatively straight forward chapter when someone dinged the little bell at the front counter. He made his way towards the front, and paused when he saw who was standing there.

Possibly the most attractive looking man Adam had ever seen in his life was standing at the counter, holding the hand of a little girl. He looked to be around Adam’s age, maybe a bit older, with short cropped hair and head to toe in black. The little girl looked to be around five or six, but didn’t look much like the man. The child had short blonde hair under a skull cap, wearing an oversized hoodie and boots. It was a strange fashion choice, but Adam had seen children wear weirder things.

Adam plastered on a smile, “Hi, how can I help you?”

The man glanced up at the menu board above his head, “Large latte and…” He trailed off and glanced at the girl.

“Cake!” She demanded.

The man let out a frustrated sigh, “What type?” He gestured to the glass display cabinet that Adam had filled with different types of cakes and pastries earlier that day.

“Chocolate.”

The man looked at him once more, and Adam quickly punched it into the computer. “Anything else for today?” The man shook his head. “Have a seat, I’ll bring it out.”

Adam watched the man and the child sit at the scattered tables and chairs that made up the coffee bar. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the man, there was something about him… Shaking his head, Adam began making the coffee.

Adam couldn’t say he was gay. Not really. Bisexual was a better term for what he was. He had dated girls and dabbled in men, nothing serious but enough to solidify that Adam was attracted in both. He had always swung more towards women, though – hell, his best friend was one of his exes. Adam could always appreciate a man, but he was generally never drawn to them. Most of the time he would find himself chatting up women more so than men, but this man was different. Adam couldn’t keep his eyes away, and he wanted to find out who this man was. Though it would be nice to imagine Adam being able to chat up this man, the reality was that he would probably never see him again.

Cabeswater had regulars, sure, but a lot of the customers came once and then never again. A couple came once or twice a month, but very few came once a week or more. He had never seen this man before, and had the feeling he never would again. Adam could only describe the feeling as disappointment as he realised that. A shame that he would never be able to know the man behind the stupidly attractive exterior.

Adam finished with the coffee and quickly plated the cake before making his way towards the table where the two sat. He placed the coffee in front of the man, who didn’t even look at him, and the cake in front of the little girl. She grinned at him, showing her missing front tooth.

“Have a great day.” Adam smiled. The man didn’t look at him or respond, instead watching his phone. Adam bit his lip and turned, his heart sinking slightly. 

~~~

For the next couple weeks, the man and the girl returned every Tuesday. Each time the man ordered coffee and cake and sat in Adam’s area, watching the child play. The man barely spoke to Adam except to make his initial order, but Adam swore that he caught the man staring at him sometimes.

It was something that Adam couldn’t prove, but he didn’t know if he wanted to act on it incase it _was_ his mind playing tricks on him, and making him see things that weren’t there. It was possible, but it didn’t stop Adam’s heart from doing a flip flop when he saw the man.

He knew it was stupid to have a crush on someone he didn’t know – a customer at that. His friend Blue had looked at him disapprovingly until Adam reminded her that she had met her own boyfriend through her time working at a local pizza shop and she had given him the finger. He couldn’t help it thought, there was just something intriguing about this man. And Adam couldn’t get enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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